The invention relates to a short inking unit, and more especially to such an inking unit for use with an offset printing press or at least with a press using a hard printing image carrier and inks with a viscosity generally corresponding to the viscosity of offset printing inks, and having at least one transfer roll in the form of a pitted roll able to be supplied with ink by means of a supply device and having a doctor blade for removing ink from its surface.
A short inking unit of this type is described in the German patent 3,117,341. In the case of this known arrangement the application of ink to the pitted roll with a cooperating single doctor blade is by means of a fountain roll in a fountain. This known arrangement has proved successful but in many cases it requires too much space, since the fountain always has to be so arranged that it fits under the fountain roll and the doctor in order to catch the excess ink.